


Body Aches and Butterflies

by gothfoxx



Series: Tumblr Prompts [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Body Image, Bullying, Class Issues, Don’t Post to Other Sites, F/M, Gen, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Implied Sexual Content, Male!Lila, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Slut Shaming, Trans Male Character, Two Endings, but not really, ml salt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22372048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothfoxx/pseuds/gothfoxx
Summary: vigil-is-a-cutie@tumblr:Marinette with a little almost hear shaped birthmark on her cheek or neck.Now add Leo(male!lila) who outright thinks it's a hickey or something.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Chloé Bourgeois, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Tumblr Prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608448
Comments: 25
Kudos: 205





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vigil-is-a-cutie](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=vigil-is-a-cutie).



> Jen is great and i love her open ideas that she bounces off with anyone. She posted this one and after i wrote a bit for it, gave me permission to post this and a few others.  
> If you like ml salt i suggest you check her blog out!
> 
> gothfoxx:  
> So let’s say she’s so over hearing people call her lucky or cute or a future match maker that she eventually uses makeup to cover it up. That’s why she’s late even though the school is RIGHT THERE! She has to put it on or she gets anxious. Also it’s on the neck area for this!

Mari has just landed back in her room after de-akumatizing yet another victim of Hawkmoth’s endevore to obtain her and Chat’s miraculous when her mother calls up that she needs to leave right that minute. She knows that her hair will look fine and she can just slip into a dress and her shoes before she’ll be too too late. In her frantic rush to get ready she skips the bathroom entirely and barely remembers her bags on the way.

Alya and Leo are talking fanfiction politics when Marinette makes her grand entrance. She’s wearing a pink Lemonade themed dress and tying her hair up in her signature pigtails with pink ties. But that’s not what grabs Leo’s attention, no what draws him in is the hickey right on the center of her collarbone. Who knew the goodie goodie could be so flauntingly devious? She was just making it too easy for him to cut her down.

“Oh my goodness! You poor thing!” He cries out in faux horror, running to the bluenette’s side. “That’s has to hurt, have you iced it yet? Ice with help with the swelling. Especially since it looks like they used their teeth!” He shouts so the whole class can hear. “You really shouldn’t let someone do that to you, you could end up with a permanent mark or a blood clot!” And now everyone has eyes on them, the stage is set and Leo can already hear the applause.

Marinette is confused by not only the class liar’s concern but what he’s concerned about. “Leo I’m not sure what you are trying to pull but leave me out of it I had a long night.” She huffs in blatant annoyance, she goes to try and get to her seat but Alya gasps next to Leo and murmurs ripple through the class. “What!?” She demands as she looks around the room for some kind of clue.

She truly was making this too easy. “I can tell you’ve had a rough night that’s why I’m so worried. It’s not some older boy is it? You can’t let people pressure you into things!” And oh he was loving this. “If you’re not careful people might start thinking you’re easy. And how would it look for your position as class president or for your brand?” Behind him he can hear the others whispering about older lovers and secret boyfriends.

None of what the Italian boy was saying was making any sense but Mari could tell that the last part was a threat. If she didn’t figure out his deal soon he was liable to ruin her life even more. “Leo I was up all night securing my brand! Why are you being so weird today!? And no one is pressuring me about anything outside of getting along with you!” She snaps, honestly at her wits end with this game she’s out of the loop for.

“Oh dear it’s worse than I thought.” He bellows out, forced tear fogging up his eyes as he hugs her close. “I can’t believe whoever did that is trying to use you. And to get to me no less! They must have gone after easy prey, the worst ones always do.” He could feel her freeze under his touch and it was thrilling to know he had so much power over her right now and she was completely clueless. It would be cute if it was so sad.

“Stop calling me easy! Stop touching me!” She finally forces out, she shoves him and the entire class can now see the dark mark the rests on her collar. Shocked gasps empty the room of oxygen and Marinette feels light headed. She knows the air isn’t really gone but all this sideways talk is freaking her out and the silent looks of alarm and pity are making it worse. “Just leave me alone!”

Just as Mari is about to head out the door Leo grabs her wrist and gives her an evil smirk that doesn’t match his scared tone, “At least tell me it was a one time thing, that you won’t do it again!” He begs, trying to pull her further into the room. “Tell me it was just the one and I’ll leave you alone!” And wow someone should have gotten that on tape, he almost fooled himself.

“Why would I stop? And why would you ask me that? I can’t stop or it’ll just hurt me in the end!” She doesn’t know why she’s saying all this but it’s true whether it’s her commissions, doing class president duties, or being Ladybug she will not stop until the job is done! Now Leo lets go and he looks like a cat that drank the cream, what was she missing!?

Leo covered his face with his hands and let out a sob, “If you can’t see that this is a problem and that we just want to help them I guess we can’t do anything. Just please please be careful and practice safety!” Whatever he was talking about he sure made it sound bad and kind of dirty. It’s at that line of though Mari realizes she messed up, everything she said fit right into his narrative.

“Hahum slut cough” comes one of the boy’s voices, a few students laugh, most just look sad and betrayed. Marinette feels the swell of heat tears flow from her eyes and wet her pink dress. She had forgotten about that stupid birthmark and now she’d ruined herself without much help from her bitter tormentor. She ran, not caring about destination just as long as it was away. She didn’t notice Adrien and Chloé walking in late with Ms Bustier. All she saw was her life in tatters over some dumb genetic glitch.

_Okay so more angst/salt or happy end?_


	2. Happy Ending(of sorts)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Ending   
> Sometimes you fk up and sometimes you REALLY fk up   
> Especially when you hurt the people close to someone without many people that they hold close

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:DD  
> FEAR ME!

Ms Bustier and the two students that followed her in were confused by what they saw. Marinette had been running away in tears and the class had broken out into chaos. “Class.” She tried, “Class!, Class please settle down!” She tried again. “HEY IDIOTS SHUT UP AND EXPLAIN!” Chloé shouted, seeping an air of danger that everyone could swear was visible. Everyone sat in their seats, even Leo didn’t protest. Ms Bustier just pats her on the shoulder and smiles before taking over. “Thank you everyone. Now who can explain in simple words what was going on before we walked in?” The redhead asks the awkward teens. Before an instigator like Kim or Leo can speak up Nathaniel stands up in the seat at the back. “Marinette came in with a mark on her shoulder and uh someone thought it was a hicky and then things got extremely confusing with the questions and then someone else call her a slut. Uh and then she ran off.” The shy boy relays to the teacher. At that two things happen, Adrien bolts out the door like the hounds of hell are nipping his heels, and Chloé starts laughing like she’s being tickled from the inside.

By the time Adrien caught up with Mari in an unused classroom she is a trembling mess of tears and hiccups. Her dress must have snagged because it had a rip across the bottom, she would probably be sad about that later. The hiccups must have muffles the sounds of his approaching because she jumps when he sits next to her and starts speaking. “Mar-“ she meeps and jumps.” Oh sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. Um Marinette, I heard what happened. I know you probably don’t want to talk to anyone right now but if you do I’m gonna be here. I won’t let anyone bother you.” He soothes, keeping her in his vision as to watched the door.

It’s a long moment of manic laughter before anyone tries to speak up, it happens that Rose tries to ask Chloé if she’s okay when said blonde starts her crusade. “I know I already called you idiots before but I didn’t know how ridiculously stupid you all were. First off we all know she’s not that kind of person! secondly I’m guessing it was Leo that said these things and third going back to number one you all know her! And you all should remember she has a funky birthmark on the should that’s dark enough to look like a bruise! I mean come on Nino has known her since kindergarten! Shame on all of you two faced friend deserters!” Chloe’s breaths come in heaves as she tries to calm the rage that boils inside her, there are few things more life ruining than throwing the s word at a woman with a new career and she might have been a bitch but Chloë would never cross that line.

Adrien could hear the classic signs of a major Chloé breakdown from where they were and he hoped that for everybody’s sake that Hawkmoth was busy. His Lady might have to fight alone, he was not leaving Marinette’s side for anything. “I f-forgot to put m-my con -concealer after I-I put on the dr-dress. Aaand Leo kept touching m-me and ssaying weird stuff. -hic- I didn’t knooow he meant sex, he tricked me.” Mari sputtered out eventually between soft sniffles and a sob or two. And woooo boy Adrien was seeing red, he had been mad before because her knew teens their age did dumb stuff that caused hurt feeling but this wasn’t dumb assumptions, this was an attack! His hands clenched up with the need to claw up Leo’s smug mug. No one messes with Chat’s princess! “I was wrong before Mari-berry, lies are terrible and they can hurt people. I’m sorry”

Ms Bustier was very disappointed with her class, she had no idea how the at least semi decent students she started with had turned into gossip crazed, inconsiderate, delinquents but she was finding it harder and harder to be loving with them. “Class I hope you understand that jumping to conclusions and making assumptions are easy was to make enemies of your friends. Instead of free period I’m assigning all of you three pages of, why we don’t make accusations without proof. And another page about why you should go to a teacher in you think a friend is need of help. You should all get to it!” Ms Bustier declares as she leaves the room to inform the principal of the situation.

Adrien could hear footsteps coming their way, he was ready for war itself if it revered it ugly head. And it was war alright but the with the face he could recognized anywhere. “Hey Chlo, is it safe to leave yet?” He askes his childhood friend. She shakes her head and walks over to take up residence on Marinette’s other side. “No we should probably stay here and wait for her parents. What a shit show.” She advises, gently fixing the bluenette’s hair with her fingers. Adrien hums in agreement before asking, “So how are we getting rid of Leo?” Chloé looks up and grins. “If it’s okay with Fretty-netty here I have some ideas saved up that will have him running back to Italy in no time.” They didn’t have to wait long before Marinette croaked out a “I’m in.”.

Across town a man in lavender and lilac frowned deeply. He would be cutting all ties from Leo Rossi. Slut shamming and slander were two things he himself had had to deal with as a trans man in the business world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do you dare to read the angst? do ya do ya?


	3. ANGST ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst: the bitter flavor of fics  
> Sometimes the smallest thing like the beat of a butterflies wings can change the world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uuuh bit short but well, even a small knife can kill you   
> bye!

**Angst ending:**

Marinette ran past Ms Bustier and the two students following behind her. “Class what happened!?” The teacher exclaimed in dismay. To her further surprise and disappointment no one answered her. Even when Chloe threw a fight and poor sweet Adrien asked why his friend was so upset the class remained silent. She was so upset at them, why did they treat there star example like she was some toy to break and throw away? Ms Bustier started to rethink her choice in become a teacher.

Marinette didn’t stop running even after her dress ripped and she lost a shoe. It was only when a tree root tripped her head over heels did she stop. She could feel all the pain she had been trying to bury come erupting to the surface and even Tikki wasn’t going to be able to help her this time. _Her life and reputation was ruined, no one in that class could be trusted to keep a secret and Leo had probably already posted his version of events online somewhere. She’d be out of the game and outcasted forever just like with the seats_. In a last ditch effort to keep at least part of herself unmucked she undid her earrings shoved them into her bag with Tikki and yeeted it as far as her arms could send it.

A butterfly pulsing with an alluring and soothing violet landed on Marinette’s hair tie. **“Hello Marionette it’s time to make the puppet master have a taste of his own medicine. He has been pulling strings for way too long and humiliated you. I’m giving you the power to make those who tried to wreck you do and say as you please. Will you accept this offer?”** Inquires a voice that sounds so sure and so understanding. Without giving herself time to second guess this choice Mari cries out “Yes Hawkmoth” and is enveloped in a swirl of dark amethyst emerging like a Phoenix, anew and more powerful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry not sorry
> 
> Her Akuma form: Phenyx- a mix of the mythological fire bird and goddess of magic, she is able to burn all evidence, of whatever she touches with her fire, from the whole world even the minds of others. 
> 
> Hawkmoth doesnt ask for payment this one time because sometimes there is a line, even for villains

**Author's Note:**

> title from the band Birthmark: https://youtu.be/KCQ_7HTLxTw  
> it really goes with the feeling of the fic and i found i after i wrote this so like wow  
> Find me on tumblr by the same name, i gladly take prompts and you can find my other works there(use 'foxx writes' in the search)
> 
> also here is what was posted between this chapter and the next two.
> 
> Jen: Leo ima smack you with a thick pillow full of quarters  
> me: So... what you’re saying is angst???  
> Jen: Basically him realizing how an asshole he being  
> me: hmm -both gif-  
> Jen: ahhhhh


End file.
